Hat-blocking apparatus.



L. FLICKER.

HAT BLocKlNG APPARATUS.

4APPLICTION FLED AUG.24, 1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

j@ my@ COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH c0..wASH|NToN. D. c.

' L. FLICKEFIl HAT BLOCKING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED Aue.24, I9I4.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 CULUMBIA PMNOURAPM 20.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

' ,is pressed downward andrwherein the steam(v is automatically shut olf when'the pressure 'Louis'riiicinn". ,or een ritiiivcrsco, ceigfironivie.

"HAT-BLOQKING nrieiia'rns.

messen@ To 1M fruito/m. #may concern.' y'

i Be it known that I, Louis FLICKER, ya

citizen ofthe United States, residingfin the. city and kcounty of San Francisco, yState of, California, have invented a newqand usefulr lmprovement yin f Hat-Blocking Apparatus,

of 'which the following is a specification. y

lily invention relates to improvement in hat blocking apparatus as disclosedin klPatent No. 896,370, patented August 18th,;1'908y and the objectsfofthe present improvement are,'first, to provide a detachabley superim posed structure for forming `the brimsof straw hats; second to providefmeans for imparting a whirlingfmotion to the steam so`r that all portionsof afhat placed in there-Yr ceptacle provided therefor willbe sul'ijectedr to an equal amount of steam; and third, tok provide improved means whereby the steam` from the boiler will be automatically turnedk on when the receptacleprovided for the hats on `the receptacle is released.

A further object `of the present improve-` ment is to provide means whereby the boiler may be ie-iilled throughk the hat receptacle.

y said specification l. accomplish these several' objects by, means of the device shown in the drawingsi forming a part ofthe presentspecication wherein like characters of reference are used to `designate similar parts throughoutk the and drawings, and iny hvhlch Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improvedy apparatus disclosing they manner in `which the steaming receptacle is opera tively connected to thevalve through whichf steam is supplied to thesaid receptacle; 'also the super-imposed kdrum and irons "foruse` in forming hat brims for straw hats. yl? ig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the steamingreceptacle. Fig. is'a plan kviewof the super structure rfrom ythe boiler and disclosing a straw `hattheieon with the irons in place. Fig. t is a vertical sectional view taken on line X-X of Fig.. 3 of the drawings in the direction indicated by thel arrow. Fig. "5 is a plan y,view of the steaming receptacle disclosing the inclined nozzles thereon, and Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view 4of the automatic valve throughr which steam is supplied to the steaming receptacle.

Referring to thedrawings, the numeral 1` is used to designate a steam boiler supported by means of suitable legs 2 and adapted to @mm v y 3 Specification of Leaefsraiia indented oet. ige, ieis. Application led August 24, 1914; `Serial No. 858,569. ff l be heated by pineans .of suitable burner '3. Y The boiler l is yprovided with 'a water-gage` e and "a suitable drainpipe 5. A steaming receptacle 6 is provided, which 'is `similar in kto the drying andre-shaping operation.

On the side of thef boiler 1 opposite the steaming receptacleV 6 is a valve casing 12 having `an enlarged bore lll which communicates with the interior of the boiler l by means of the `aperture 15. The bore 14e is provided with a reduced portion 16 and aY valve seat 1,7 to seatbetweenthe said bore,`

111 andl reduced portionl@ thereof.

A hollow stein 18 having apertures `19 therein andafvalve 20 `on the lower end thereof isy slidably.,-mounted within the reduced portion y16 of the bore 14 and a spring 21 is interposed between the valve 20 and the lower portion `of the bore 14:, so that the tension :of the said spring 21 Vwill assist the steam pressure within theborejlt and tend to retain the 'said valve 20 of the` `hollow `stem `18 on the seat 17 and thus prevent the steam from escaping through the hollow stemld and through a plurality of down`- wardly inclined nozzles 22k secured to the top of the hollow stem 18 and within a steaming receptacle 23 `which is also secured to and adapted ,to mow. with the hollow stem 18.

The receptacle ris provided with a drain pipe 2having a valve 25, thecpurpose ofr vwhich will hereinafter be more `fully described. vThe receptacle is also provided.k with..` an sinner cloth lining 26 which is adaptedfto catch the condensed particles of steam and allow the same to fall downwardly "to theibottom of the receptacle without, coming in contact with thehat placed therein. Byv

`so y removing the fitting containing theinclined `nozzlesand closing the valve 25 in the drain :pipe24l of the receptacle 23, the said recep-y tacle 23 may be used as a means for filling the boiler 1 by .depressingy the said receptacle 23 until the apertures 19 in the hollow stem 18 pass below the seat 17, so that water may flow through the said apertures and into the boiler 1.

When in position in the receptacle 23, the brim of a hat hangs over the rim of the iin said receptacle, as shown in dotted. lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings. From this figure,

it will be noted'that the'crown of a hat is in` a yposition to be thoroughly heatedand V'steamed from the vapor emergingfrom the inclined ,nozzlesQZ In order to steam the hat, it is placed in the receptacle 23 and the Y said receptacle pressed downward against the tension of the spring 21 until the apertures 19 of the hollow stem 18 are below the seat 17 `when thesteamwill flow through the said apertures19 and hollow stem 184 and Ythrough the downwardly Vinclined nozzles 22.

As the steam emerges from the nozzles, the

inclinations ofthetsaid nozzles direct the steam against thel concaved bottom of the receptacle 23 and is thus givena whirling motion sothat the steam will travel laround sure on'the` said receptacle 23, sothat the Y amount ofk steam delivered to the said rel vc eptacle will beeasily and readily regulated f without the manipulation of a separate valve. f Y y i In forming the rim of a straw or similar hat, the same `is placed uponvthe fiat top 8 -of the super-imposed drum Z kand Vthe arcuate irons 9 are placed Vupon the rim of the hat. In'this manner, the heat from'the boiler will in turn heat the-top S of the drum 7 and the heat will be communicatedv tofthe rim offthe hat which isheld in proper position by the weight of the arcuate irons 9. y

When the drumx'? is not being used,:the ironsV 9 are left on the top thereof, so that the same will always be hot and ready for instant use. Y

It is obvious from the foregoing that I have provided.'improved means whereby the crownsof hats may be thoroughly renovated and re-shaped without 'the necessity ofV softeningthe brims thereof. It is also obvious that I have provided improved 'means for distributing the steam equally throughout the interior of the steaming receptacle', so that all Aparts of the crown of a hat will receive the Same amo-unt of dry steam. I I have ralso provided improvedmeans for automatiw Copies of this'patent may be obtained for Vautomatically shutting olf the steam when theysaidv downward pressure has been released. i

Havingthus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :V l

1. Ina device of the character described, steam boiler; a steaming receptacle connected to the said boiler, the top of the reoeptacle being-open; an inner fabric lining for the walls of the said receptacle; and

means"operativelyv connected to the recep- -tacle and the boiler and arranged to deliverv .steaminto the said receptacle when the same is pressed downward.V Y.

2.Y kIn a device of the character described,

a steam boiler; a valve casing secured to the side of andv connected withv the steam boiler and having a vertically disposed bore. therein with a reduced portion and a seat thereto;

Y 3. In a device of the character described;v

a steam boiler; avalve casing secured to the sideof and connected with the steam boilerl and having a vertically disposed boretherein with a reduced portion and a seat there-V to; a Ahollow stem having apertures and a valve upon the lower end thereof slidably mounted in the reduced portion of the bore; means for normally retaining the valve o n rav hollow stem having apertures and a valve y the seat; a steaming receptacle securedto the Y Ytop of the hollow stem; a plurality of inclined nozzles secured to the hollow stem and within the receptaclejand arranged to impart a whirling ymotion to steam emanating from the said nozzles. A i' In' witness whereof I hereuntoset my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.y Y f LOUIS ELICKER.

Witnesses: Y

LINDA W. SLEE, A JAMES F. MCCUE;

ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents` .Washingtomn C. 

